After scanning the food labels of some of them I was inspired to buy a few and share my thoughts on them. From the brands I eat to ones I wouldn’t feed my cat with (if I had one of course).

Don’t be a duped consumer

A few things to consider before you buy your next yogurt:

1) If you were to obtain natural yogurt straight from the farm, then add a piece of fresh fruit, it would go rancid over the next few days as the yogurt would break the fruit down. Ever wondered why this does not happen on the supermarket shelves?

To overcome this, manufactures use stabilisers and preservatives… chemicals in other words. This is considered acceptable practise. Personally I avoid as many products as I can that contain chemicals, as they all add up.

If you like your yogurt with fruit, simply buy natural yogurt and mix in a spoonful of fresh berries. This is a much better alternative. I often do this and mix a serving of 180 Natural Protein SuperFood for a much healthier snack.

2) Something to think about… Approximately four years ago I spent a weekend involved with The Weston A Price Foundation, a nonprofit, tax-exempt nutrition and education foundation.

They tested all the commercial leading brands of yogurt at the time for live bacteria and found most of them were dead as a doornail. Including the flavoured yogurts that claim differently!

The yogurts that did have a little bit of life in them where your full fat natural yogurts that have minimal ingredients, with Bornhoffen yogurt coming out on top.

That was four years ago, so I can’t speak for any of them now, but it’s certainly something I consider when I buy yogurt.

3) All dairy will naturally have a certain amount of sugar in it (lactose). When buying yogurt I also look at the sugar content per serve, not the fat content. I avoid any brand that claims to be fat-free. Why? As they have removed the fat to reduce the energy per gram and have replaced it with sugar. The sugar content is much higher in the flavoured yogurts than the full-fat natural yogurts.

As you can see by this picture (yogurt 7 on the list), they have even highlighted the fat and calcium to keep you distracted from the sugar content. (Click here to enlarge).

With this in mind, I’ve listed below 7 leading brands of yogurt and their sugar content. I stick to the top four listed when I eat yogurt.

1. Marrook Farm – Bio Dynamic Yogurt

I generally eat this yogurt when it’s in stock. Can be found in most small independent food stores. Not in many commercial supermarkets.

Sugar per 100g serve: 4.2g

Preservatives/flavourings: No

2. Bornhoffen – Natural Yogurt

Can be found in most commercial supermarkets. A bit higher in the sugar content but still a good option and happy what Weston.A.Price foundation had to say about it.

Sugar per 100g serve: 9g

Preservatives/flavourings: No

3. Jalna – Bio Dynamic Yogurt

Another good option. This is a European set style yogurt. Can be found in most commercial supermarkets.

Sugar per 100g serve: 4.1g

Preservatives/flavourings: No

4. Farmers Union – Greek Style Yogurt

Very creamy and tasty. Can be found in most commercial supermarkets. A bit higher in the sugar content but still a good option.

Sugar per 100g serve: 7.2g

Preservatives/flavourings: No

5. Ski – Activ

I don’t see what is active about it when loaded with preservatives. Can be found in most commercial supermarkets. High sugar content and contains preservatives/flavourings. I do not eat this.

Sugar per 100g serve: 12.5g

Preservatives/flavourings: Yes

6. Dannon – Activia

Claims to be full of live culture which I struggle to believe. Can be found in most commercial supermarkets. High sugar content and contains preservatives/flavourings. I do not eat this.

Sugar per 100g serve: 13.2g

Preservatives/flavourings: Yes

7. Dairy Farmers – Thick & Creamy

How can it be creamy when they’ve removed the fat? I don’t like the deceptive food label on the back either. Can be found in most commercial supermarkets. High sugar content and contains preservatives/flavourings. I do not eat this.

Sugar per 100g serve: 15g

Preservatives/flavourings: Yes

There are many yogurts I haven’t mentioned as the list would be extremely long, including local alternative yogurts. But you get the general idea. If you eat yogurt I’d love to hear your thoughts on the brands you eat and why?

How to Supercharge Your Yogurt in Under 60 Seconds…

While yogurt can make a tasty snack, it really doesn’t cut it as a nutritious breakfast or meal replacement. Try this easy recipe and quickly transform your favourite yogurt into a superfood brimming with protein, great fats, vitamins and minerals.

Great article, Guy, the only one I eat is the only full fat one in my local Coles, Woolies don’t stock any full fat yoghurt, that I could find, anyway, and as I eat low fructose, I won’t have anything except a plain full fat organic yoghurt, I like this one, Gippsland brand….ingredients, Organic milk, Milk solids, Yoghurt cultures, Acidophilus, Bifidus & Casei, (sorry if I spelled those wrongly, the writing is very small…Sugars per 100 gram are 5.5g
I add strawberries and blitz with a stab blender, then add LSA, chia seeds, coconut milk/water and I make it up to 500 ml with a little whole milk, then when I put into my glass I add half a mashed banana, keeps me full for ages….makes 3 almost full glasses….yummee…♥♥

B-d. Farm Paris Creek (a South Australian product) bio-dynamic yoghurt for me. Ingredients are biodynamic milk & probiotic cultures. No genetic engineering, non-homogenised milk, no preservatives, no added sugar, no thickeners. Fat total 3.7g per 100g, sugars 3.3g per 100g. They also make the most delicious bio-dynamic milk, so rich & creamy & nothing compares with the taste.

I agree re BD Paris Creek yoghurt assessments
For me it is also local as I live in the next town from Paris Creek
It is always on my locavore list when I go to the Willunga Market on Saturday mornings
G

You cannot go past Meredith Dairy sheeps milk yoghurt. http://berriesandscotch.blogspot.com.au/2010/12/my-ewe-food-obsession.html
It has less than 2g of fat per 100g, it is incredibly creamy, it has double the amount of protein and calcium than in regular yoghurts and 50% more iron.
It is by far the best yoghurt in terms of flavour and nutritional benefits on the market. If you haven’t tried it you’re seriously missing out!

Bit confusing how the list was of 7 bestselling yoghurts but you only recommended the first few, perhaps should have formatted in 2 sections (good choice/bad choice) to make it easier for the reader, in that people are used to reading articles like this in certain “Health Tips” structures/formats.
Good content tho

Hey Michael just for your info I read your comment and I re read the blog and I am a bit confused with what you said ie. you spoke about the 7 best sellers but I could not find it anywhere in the blog wher 180 “recommended” any brand. Just saying.

I have used/made Easiyo for a few years now but my husband has now discovered the Farmer’s Union Greek Yoghurt (full fat) and loves it. We visit France frequently and have grown attached to fromage blanc. We both agree this particular Farmer’s Union yoghurt tastes very similar.

Excellent article as usual! Thanks a lot!!
I did the same analyse when I realized how much sugar has my kids yogurt!! I was in shock!! Im glad to see one of my best options in your post. Jalna Bio dynamic is really tasty, speecially if you mix it up with berries. There is also another Jalna option, (greek – sweet) with 9 g sugar per 100g serve but not sure about this one. How is the maximun of sugar per 100 g serve you recomend?

I found Bornhoffen through my sister-in-law and I love it! The high count of live cultures does it for me. To me, the “higher” sugar content means it tastes creamier and sweeter, so I’m less inclined to hit up the chocolate later on!

Hi, The fat soluble vitamins found in milk are A, D, E and K, the lower the fat content, the lower the volume of fat soluble vitamins that are present. You need fat soluble vitamins to boost absorption of calcium. Ange

I just checked the label on Farmers Union full fat Greek yogurt in my fridge as I was surprised to read it is 7.2 grams per 100 grams and’ the label reads 5.2 grams per 100 grams. Mind you the front of the container looks slightly different from the one posted here. I’m in SA so maybe we’re just sweet enough.